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The Waiting Room coffee bar opens in Sandwich

By: Sam Williams swilliams@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 10:55, 08 July 2022

Updated: 11:03, 08 July 2022

A new cafe marked its opening by serving a coffee exactly 100 years after the building it sits in was erected.

The Waiting Room, in Sandwich, is now opens and offers hot drinks, breakfast baguettes, rolls, cakes, sweet or savoury waffles and pastries during the day, and cheese and charcuterie with wines and cocktails in the evening.

The Waiting Room has opened in Sandwich in the former bus waiting room. Picture: David Silk

The building, in Cattle Market and next to Ossie's Fish and Chips, originally opened in May 1922 and was used as a waiting room and ticket office owned by bus firm, East Kent Road Car Company - which was eventually taken over by Stagecoach.

And to celebrate the opening, an old vehicle once used by the company attended.

Manager Jack Humphreys, from Deal, said: "The bus is a 1951 Guy Arab III, taken out of service in 1968 and sold to Friends of East Kent in January this year.

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"Our colour scheme for the venue and even our uniforms come from the colours of the East Kent buses."

Although The Waiting Rooms officially opened in June, Mr Humphreys did serve a coffee on May 30, which marked the 100 year anniversary of the building being erected.

The inside has been made over. Picture: Chris Mansfield
Manager Jack Humphreys. Picture: David Silk

The Grade II listed building was used as a waiting room until 1992.

Businessman Malcolm Waite, who owns several family-run car showrooms in the Dover district, bought the building in 1993, and it has been used as storage ever since.

Work to transform it started earlier this year.

Mr Humphreys added: "The opening has gone really well.

"Sandwich has been very busy with many weekend events going on and we have had lots of locals in town show us support and come in to see this wonderful old building being brought back to life after being closed down for 30 years."

A vintage bus attedning the grand opening. Picture: Chris Mansfield
The eatery will offer charcuterie boards in the evenings. Picture: David Silk
The unique toilets. Picture: Chris Mansfield

"Even our toilet has had a refurb.

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"The Burlington custom made system is the only one like it in the world.

"Burlington told us they had never made one for anyone like this and in this particular colour to match our colour scheme."

The original bus waiting room opened 100 years ago. Picture: Jack Humphreys

Mr Humphreys, who has 20 years experience working in the hospitality trade, says he wants to source the majority of the ingredients locally.

The Waiting Room is open seven days a week, from 7.30am to 10.30pm Monday to Saturdays, and then 8am to 8pm on Sundays.

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